


Blood of Ty'lani

by Wytcherblood



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:35:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24804010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wytcherblood/pseuds/Wytcherblood
Summary: Before the Protheans, there was another that fought against and faced extinction at the hands of the Reapers. Though, a small few, alongside their own AI, survived -- but now they face new challenges and struggles as they are reawakened into a familiar yet alien world. Will they be able to work together alongside multiple alien species to fight against a common enemy... Or will they fall?
Relationships: EDI/Jeff "Joker" Moreau, Female Shepard/Garrus Vakarian, James Vega/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 3





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> The chapters will start off sort of short, but as the story progresses I'll work making them longer.
> 
> Note: I own the original species O'rheni, please do not use!  
> Khymeira Concept - https://toyhou.se/2036078.khymeira-ty-lani/7323482.mass-effect-au/gallery
> 
> \--Translations/Pronounciations--
> 
> O'rheni: Oh-ren-eye
> 
> Ty'lani: Teh-LAH-Knee
> 
> Vyr'ahne: Vh-ear-AHn; O'rheni word for dark matter
> 
> Ss'vha na mah'thn: form of farewell; rough translation - "May the Celestials Guide/Watch over You"
> 
> Sstauve’hyn vas: A profanity phrase
> 
> More translations/pronounciations will be added later.

Prologue

/"Commander, the cryostasis pod is prepped and ready. All systems also set into suspended modes, except for life support of course."/ The AI's cybernetic masculine voice spoke overhead via the ship's coms.

"Thank you, Ra'ziel." The AI's said commander responded, tapping her talons across the screen of the pod to complete her end of sequences. "Set my recorded vid for automation the moment anyone powers up the rest of the systems."

/"Yes, Commander."/

The female turned her horned head to look towards the other occupied pods of her remaining crew. Closing her black sclera, crimson irised eyes, she sighed heavily. She was supposed to be strong, but what had all transpired forty-eight hours ago -- she felt defeated. Their entire world, friends and families - all of their people… gone. They alone were the last. Now scheduled, as per their last orders from her father, to commence suspended animation via cryo in hopes to awaken into the next Cycle. Hopes riding high they even make it into the next Cycle that is...

Giving a shake of her horned head, tail swaying low and slight, she stepped up into the pod and turned around. She quickly busied herself tying her black to white ombre hair into a low pony, right before placing the breathing apparatus to the lower half of her face, just above her nose. 

"Alright, Ra, I'm ready."

/"Commencing cryostasis,"/ the AI stated, systems one by one shutting down. The cryo pod his Commander laid back in starting to close, the locking mechanisms engaging. Soon, filling with a semi-blue/violet liquid. /"Engines disengaged. All non-essential systems suspended…. Ss'vha na mah'thn…"/

The moment oxygen began to flow through her breathing apparatuse, the Commander closed her eyes. "Ss'vha na mah'thn."

Within an instant, once her pod was completely filled with the stasis liquid, in a flash air pressure hissed as it froze instantly. The lights powered down, the electronical buzz that had hummed throughout the ship -- went silent. All that remained was the bioscans of vitals shimmering on the glass of all the occupied cryo pods in the darkness. Metallic footsteps sounded into the cryostasis bay and a taloned hand of metal laid gently upon the glass of the Commander's pod. The AI, Ra'ziel, now within his combat mobile platform, the physique mirroring that of the males of the crews' species. Glowing red eyes gazing over the Commander's suspended animated form. Even though he was an AI and it had only been a few moments ago, he had already missed her company. 

The glow of his eyes dimmed as he rested his forehead against the glass. "Till we meet again, my friend…"


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

\--Year 2186 CE, Dark side of Alchera’s moon--

Ra’ziel had spent many millennia keeping the ship’s life support systems running, but now all the remaining vyr'ahne power cells have reached their estimated lifespans. The AI worked quickly in trying to keep the last one barely running, he managed only to salvage a scant amount of power just enough to send out a distress signal…. And he greatly hoped any advanced species - if any - came across it and found them in time before the cryostasis pods lost all power. Though, there was another issue that bothered him too. What if the new advanced species were hostile? What if there wasn’t any and the greatest threat that had destroyed their homeworld and their people were still out there? A sense of dread came over his processors, or whatever equivalent an AI could even feel, at the thought.

The noise of alarms going off snapped Ra’ziel back to reality from him processing such scenarios. “No. No, no, no!”

The AI rushed down towards the cryo bay, doors opening quickly as he drew near. One of them didn’t open fast enough at the speeds he was moving and he twisted himself to wriggle through the narrow opening. Once he got there, he started onto one of the control panels. Metallic talons tapping and swiping hologram key runes, working at each system error as quickly as possible. He managed to stabilize three of the four cryo pods, the fourth being his Commander’s. Panic set in, frantic mechanical warble-chittering vocals sounded from him as he swiftly stood in front of the destabilizing pod. The Commander’s bioscans flashed red in warnings, vitals steadily dropping close to critical. The holo-screen continued to chirp in error, a frustrated warble-screech came from Ra’ziel as he slammed his fist against it.

“Sstauve’hyn vas! Work, damn you!” He shrieked, the holo-screen still flashing red in error. It read in their runic language, ‘Insufficient Power - Levels Critical.’

A mechanical sob tore from his vocals, slamming both his fists against the glass now. He hung his head, glowing red eyes staring down at the metal flooring. His gaze rested upon his own vyr'ahne cell core embedded into his chest. His head snapped up, realization hitting him. Ra’ziel quickly rounded to the side panel of the cryo pod, tapping at the holo keystones to pop it open. He then opened his own chest plate, disconnected a power cable from the cry pod and connected it directly into his cell core. Briefly, the power to the cryo pod and to his mobile platform flickered. Another few seconds went by with the alarms still sounding around him before everything stopped. He stood there for a moment then straightened up, turning his head to look ahead. The AI went around once more to stand directly in front of the cryo pod and stared right at the holo-screen.

His shoulders slumped in relief as power levels began to stabilize and the Commander’s vital scans leveled out back to normal. The AI turned around and leaned back against the glass, head falling back to rest against it, his glowing red eyes dimming. “Finally…” he quietly spoke, sliding down towards the metal flooring and sat there at the base of the pod. Ra’ziel rolled his head to the right, looking out towards the viewing window at the darkness of space and the stars that twinkled within it. He shifted himself to bend one metallic leg at the knee joint, draping his arm across it with his other arm laying in his lap and his metallic segmented tail semi-curled about himself.

The AI remembered something else that must be done, virtually he sent out a distress signal. ‘Whomever receives this… please find us quickly…’

~~*~~

The SSV Normandy SR2 drifted through space at a leisure pace as Commander Reiko Shepard stood in front of the Galaxy Map. She tucked a rogue lock of jet black hair behind her ear while she looked over planetary scans for any anomalies and resources. So far, nothing came up on the scanners. Her brow furrowed, annoyance visible upon her face when nothing was found. ‘Another waste of our time…’

/”Shepard,”/ EDI’s voice came over the coms, pulling Shepard out of her train of thoughts.

“What is it, EDI?” she responded, glancing up from the map.

/”I found something of interest on our scanners.”/ the AI stated, piquing Shepard’s curiosity.  
She stepped down from the navigation platform, round the corner of it to head towards the cockpit of the Normandy. “Alright, I’m on my way.”

/”Yes, Commander.”/

Shepard gave a nod of her head in acknowledgement as she passed two other Alliance crewmembers that saluted her. Her stride never broke as she drew closer to Joker’s pilot chair. She stood between EDI and Joker looking towards the AI in the co-pilot seat, giving a tilt of her head. “What did you find?”

“It seems to be a distress signal,” EDI leaned forward and one-handedly tapped away at the control panel. “Though, the origin of the signal is strange. The signature isn’t from any known species."

"Not only that, Commander," Joker piped up, sliding the holo-screen control panels around to access the picked up transmission signal. "The recorded message with it… it's, uhm… listen for yourself."

When the Norm0ardy pilot brought up said recorded transmission, it was a bit static-y, but what could be made out… was of a complete alien dilect.

_ //Vesh ahn -- _ **_skrrrsh_ ** _ \--m'sythi ma ss'vehk. -- _ **_skrrrsh_ ** _ \-- lhe vha'lyi aesh stehn-- _ **_skrrrsh_ ** _ \--.// _

Joker switched off the audio and spun his chair around, "EDI cleared up as much as she could, but the signal is - get this - transmitting from another two galaxies away from our current location!"

Shepard's brow furrowed in confusion, they were nowhere near a mass relay to even receive any form of transmissions this far out. Maybe it was just a jumble of transmissions between two or more ships somewhere not far from them, but…

"The language spoken matches no current species, not even the Protheans." EDI chimed in.

"You're right, if it were Prothean, I would have understood what was being said. Joker, can you pinpoint the exact location this is transmitting from?" Shepard questioned, looking back to her pilot again.

Joker lit up with a big grin on his face. "I sure can, Commander!" He swiveled his chair back around to face the control panel again, carefully cracking his knuckles and wiggled his fingers. "Just give me a few moments and I can tell you."

EDI tapped away at her own panel, her own AI curiosity still trying to translate the language. It was then she found, listening to the transmission again, that it sounded like there were two voices speaking at the same time in unison. Though, when she relistened to it for the third time, she came to a conclusion the sound was near similar to a Turian's vocal patterns. As if there were subvocals, but it sounded smoother -- almost, what was the term? Ethereal?

"Got it!" Joker threw up his hands then back down to return them tapping away again. "The signal is coming from the Amada system somewhere around--" suddenly, Joker went very quiet.

Shepard had been looking at the holo-screen, her hand resting at the top of the pilot's chair. She glanced down at her friend, noticing Joker's slumped shoulders and downcast expression.

"Jeff?" EDI's soft voice was the first to break the silence.

"You all right?" Shepard gently asked now, placing her hand on his shoulder.

Joker breathed slow and carefully, he looked like he was fighting back from mentally breaking down. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, ressuming fiddling with the controls absentmindedly.

"It's coming from Alchera…"


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

When they arrived in the Amada system a few hours later, Joker disengaged the ship's engines and EDI went to work doing an entire planetary scan. As a few moments went by, she found that the signal wasn't coming from Alchera's surface. It was coming from one of two moons that orbited the planet. The AI of Normandy pointed this out to Joker, now doing scans on one of the twin moons the signal seemed strongest.

"There!" EDI pointed at the screen that came up, zooming in on the object that was the signal's origin. 

"Holy shit…" Jeff gawked at what he was seeing. "It's a ship!" He pressed a key on his control panel, opening the com wherever Shepard had disappeared to. "Commander, the transmission signal is coming from a ship -- and it's definitely not from anyone we know."

/"What kind of ship exactly, Joker?"/ Shepard questioned.

"Like I said, Commander, no known ship in the galaxy. You gotta come see for yourself." Joker stated, transferring the live feed they were seeing directly to Shepard's omnitool.

\-----

Down in the docking bay, Shepard paused calibrating and modifying her favored pistol. She pulled up her omnitool and brought up the feed Joker sent her. Her brow furrowed in question and confusion. The ship, from the size of it, appeared to be the same as the Normandy. It had a sleek design, the metal body almost melding into the black of space. There was a shimmer across the entirety of the body that broke it apart from the void, like small hexagonal shapes.

'Must be built for stealth, if you're not paying too much attention….' She thought to herself. 

Another detail along the hull, Shepard noticed a coat of frost all across it.

"Who knows how long this ship has been floating out there in space…" she murmured quietly.

"What's up, Lola?" James Vega chimed in, stepping up beside her and glanced down at her omnitool. "Whoa! What model is that ship?! Is it Asari?"

Shepard gave a one shoulder shrug, shutting off her omnitool and faced the larger and taller marine. "Don't think so, but gear up. We're going to check it out."

/"I'll move in for a closer look and see if I can find a docking bay."/ Joker stated before cutting the coms.

James straightened up into a salute when Shepard pivoted around to face him, her pulled back black hair whipping back with the motion. "Gear up, you're coming along with. EDI," she called for the AI, making her way to the armory.

/"Yes, Shepard?"/

"You gear up as well, we may need your expertise--" the Commander didn't even get a chance to finish when EDI walked into the docking bay.

"I am ready, Commander." There was excitement in the AI's voice.

Shepard and James looked at her in brief surprise then Shepard softly chuckled with a smile. "Alright, we head out and board in five minutes."

"Five minutes?!" James gaped at Shepard.

She gave a sly smile over her shoulder. "If you can't do it in five I'll just get Garrus-"

"I'll do it in two!" The marine exclaimed, rushing to his locker and whipped it open.

Shepard grinned broadly, gearing up herself now.

\----

Ra'ziel's power was weak, leaving him sitting up against the console connected to all cryostasis systems and procedures. Four cables ran directly to each cryo from his chest, all power had failed hours ago and everything shutting down in the ship. Meek mechanical noises sounded from him, his metallic horned head hung low and the light of his eyes dimmed.

Thuds followed with hollow clatters and scraping of metal made him barely lift his head. 'Something's here…'

After a few moments, Ra'ziel heard voices. He couldn't understand what was being said, but he recognized an authoritative tone. Female? Was this cycle of species also matriarchal? Thin beams of light flashed by the doorway that was ajar from the power outage, a safety protocol to keep any of their own from being trapped. He doubted the aliens now aboard their ship would know this. Again, he hoped they weren't hostile…. Or the Rak'shi.

<> Ra'ziel struggled to work his vocals loud enough to be heard.

He saw the lights whip back towards the ajar doorway, but it was faint. How far had they moved from the cryo bay? Said lights soon drew closer again, alien voices barely audible for him to hear. The AI of the ship struggled to lift his head when the light laid upon him. It took a moment for his processors to compute an unfamiliar weapon was aimed directly at him. Once he did, dread set in… then it lowered and a small figure knelt down at eye level with him.

The helmet of the armored alien had a clear visor where he could see their eyes. A bright jade green, reminding him of the Ss'vahna Seas of Jyehna. They were wide in awe and curiosity, surprise even as they glanced him over. A gauntlet clad, petite hand cautiously reached out as if to touch him. Realizing the smaller being was reaching to touch the cables connected within his chest.

<> Ra'ziel's vocals crackled, moving his arm to protectively place in front of the small hand. <> he weakly and quietly repeated, giving a small shake of his head.

The AI looked into the visible part of their helm again, taking note a similarity to his creators' kind. But he also noticed they were too small, no distinct talons on that hand that had reached out to him and no horns upon their heads… they even lacked the long powerful tails. Glancing to the two standing not far away, their legs were even strange.

\----

Shepard was so focused on the… what looked like to her, an AI. Her brow furrowed in confusion when it spoke in a strange language. Its voice crackling with static and stutters. When the AI had moved its arm in the way of her hand, she clued in it was in a defensive stance. Her green eyes followed the cables from its chest, saw that the four cables trailed off to four pods that still had power. 

"Shepard?" James' voice snapped her out of her focus and she turned just enough to look at him. "What is that thing?"

"My guess, an AI," Shepard responded, EDI perked up to this and moved closer herself and crouched down.

Their AI pulled up her omnitool and did a full body scan of the large alien tech AI. Said AI in front of them sluggishly watched their movements, but its gaze was mainly on James as he investigated the one pod facing the other three. 

"Power levels are low," EDI informed, "Its systems are trying to compensate to keep whatever is in the pods."

"Uuh, hey, Shepard?" James cut in, turning away from the main pod. Shepard and EDI both looked at him as he gestured his thumb in pointing at his right towards it. "These look like bioscans, there's something alive in these."

When Shepard stood up and went over to see, sure enough what showed on a holo-screen was a heart rate. She ghosted her hand over it, looking over the front of the pod and was about to actually touch the screen. Loud broken up mechanical warble-chitters came from the AI and it attempted to move to stand. EDI held up her hand and sat up to keep it from moving, as if like a doctor stopping a wounded patient from moving. Shepard stopped, looking to the two AIs then back to the pod, stepping back.

"Okay," she started, breathing steadily out, "Don't touch anything." Shepard pressed the side of her helm, opening a comlink to the Normandy. "Joker,"

/"Yeah, Commander? Find something in that fancy ship?"/

"Yeah, we definitely did. Is there a way to connect the Normandy and redirect power? We have live pods." She replied.

There was a quiet lull on the comlink before the pilot responded. /"Live? As in live aliens in something like Mister Popsicle was in?"/

"You could say that, don't let Javik hear you call him Mister Popsicle though. Anyways, back to the question. Is it possible?"

/"Uuh, I don't know, Commander. Maybe? I'll ask Tali and Garrus, they might be able to do something."/ Joker sounded unsure. Plus, the Normandy was his baby, he wasn't certain connecting both ships - especially unknown alien tech - to it.

"See to it then, because I think we're on a time limit here. There's an AI keeping these things running and it doesn't have much power left itself." Shepard stated, glancing back to said AI that had lifted its head up barely enough to look at her.

/"Aye, aye, Commander. Over and out."/

\----

As they waited, Shepard and James had left the cryo bay to explore the rest of the ship. While EDI remained with the alien tech AI to monitor its systems and power levels. She also monitored the pods, scanned each individual one and looked over her own bioscans of them. Two males and two females, from what she had found in hormone levels. The Normandy AI went back to check the other AI then, power reading at 15% capacity… and declining steadily. She theorised that what was embedded in the AI's chest was in some form a power core, but couldn't sustain it and the pods at the same time. 

'We barely got here in time…' she thought to herself, moving back towards the main pod and brushed away frost just above the holo-screen. She couldn't make out the features of the being inside, but she guessed the AI was modeled in their image. Like her body, once Dr. Eva Core, was modeled to look human by Cerberus. EDI leaned closer in, guessing what was coming from the head - horns? She glanced at the AI, noting the metal that curved off its head like horns. Curved like a bull's, but hugged closer to the side of the head and curved upwards from the forehead.

During her observations, mechanical broken warbles sounded again and she turned her head. The AI had sat up more, looking right at her with its hand open with its palm up and outstretched. Curiosity guided her back to the AI, reaching her hand out and placed it in its hand. Moment it closed its large metal taloned digits, she went stock still and eyes wide. A surge of data flashed before her eyes, recorded vids and images. A world full of color and life… a world burning, full of carnage and screams.

A database full of strange symbols and the sound of an alien language that she couldn't understand, just as quickly translated and became understandable and readable. All that transpired ended in an instant as it had just began in the beginning. The AI let go of her hand and slumped forward with its hand dropping to the floor in a loud clatter. EDI remained standing in place, still processing everything that transfered.

James and Shepard came running back into the room, alarm in their eyes. "EDI, what happened?!" The commander called.

For a moment, EDI didn't respond and Shepard moved quickly to stand facing the AI, grabbing her by the shoulders. "EDI?!"

James went to grab for the slumped over AI then, "What did you do to her?!"

"Lieutenant Vega, please do not shake him." EDI finally responded.

Both Shepard and James moved out of the way as the AI knelt down on her knees. She checked over the alien tech AI, the AI's power flickering weakly.

"His name is Ra'ziel, a combat model AI assigned to this ship as both pilot and protector." She said, gently lifting his head up. The glow of his eyes faint. "He's been keeping these pods, the last of their people, safe for a hundred and fifty thousand years."

All James did was stare and gawk at EDI as she spoke. "How do you-" Shepard was to first to respond.

EDI looked at Shepard, "He told me -- showed me. He even gave me all the information to understand their language."

"W-wo--rrrks--... Both w-w-a-zzzst. Pr-pr-oto--" Ra'ziel managed to speak out brokenly.

"Conserve your energy," EDI placed a hand on Ra'ziel's shoulder. "Two others of our crew are working getting the power back on. You don't have much left to keep the cryopods running if you use up yours."

"Dios mío…" was all James could get out.

"The pods are directly linked into the ship. They're nothing like the one Javik was in with its own power supply. If his power cell fails, the crew of this ship will die." EDI added after she stood up.

"Well let's hope our idea connecting the Normandy works." Shepard stated, moving to leave and head outside the ship to help quicken the process.


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

“Okay! Everything is connected and ready to go!” Garrus said over the comlink, double checking his end one more time outside both ships.

“My end is all done as well.” Tali replied, pulling up her omnitool with the Normandy’s systems pulled up. Her VI drone twittering about finishing up in the alien ship’s engine room.

The quarian admired the fascinating tech surrounding her, stepping up to a console and crouched down in front of it. She smoothed her hands over the sleek metal, looking for a seam anywhere to pop it open to look inside. To her disappointment, none was found and she didn’t want to try and pry it open forcefully nor cut into it for concern of possibly ruining the circuitry hidden inside. With a sigh she stood up, opening a comlink to Donnely and Daniels. 

“How’s everything on your end? Ready to direct power?”

/”Everything is a go here!”/ Gabriella Daniels responded.

“Alright! Show time, everyone!” Shepard called out, pushing herself off the side of the Normandy back towards the other ship’s docking bay they pried open just enough to get cables and themselves through. “Hope this works…” she said to herself, opening her omnitool. “Three… two…. One, go!” she signalled, all three of them simultaneously triggered their ends.

Power surged from the Normandy’s engine core directly through the cables into the ship’s. There was a low, stuttering thrumn as the lights and power started flicking weakly. EDI and James looked up towards the ceiling of the cryo bay, Ra’ziel shifted his head barely to glance up. Shepard looked around, seeing holo-screens flicker in and out on control panels she didn’t know were panels. They all had just looked like sleek metal tables to her. As Donnelly and Daniels kept steadily pushing the Normandy’s engine core to put out more, electrical crackling and pops started to flare from where the cables connected. Garrus yelped as he jumped back from sparks starting to fly, Tali dove for cover as the same happened in the other ship’s engine room.

/”Shut it off!”/ Shepard hollered over the comlink, putting out her end of the cables that caught fire.

/”No, we can’t yet! The engine is starting to react!”/ Tali cried, tapping at strange symbols on the control panel that flicker in and out, in hopes certain combinations were working. A strange green energy wisping and flaring to life as the core started to slowly to twist and spin. 

/”Joker! Cut the engines!”/ Shepard commanded then, moving away from another fire combusting next to her. 

Tali tried to voice again not to, but Joker had already killed the engines. The console powered down and the quarian cursed, slamming her fist down on it. The engine core that had started to come back to life, died. The lights cut out again and everything was bathed in darkness once again. Ra’ziel’s head dropped and a defeated noise sounded from his failing vocals. His commander and the rest of the crew were doomed. Everything went quiet.

/”It didn’t work, Commander…”/ Donnelly softly broke the silence.  
James turned his gaze down towards the floor and EDI gently touched Ra’ziel’s hand. “I’m sorry…”

“Y-you---kkrsh--- tried-d-d…” he managed to get out.

The last fire was put out and Shepard looked around the room. Surveying the damage, though when she smoothed her gloved hand over the scorched metal, the black soot wiped right off. “Huh..” she tilted her head at her discovery. “What the heck is this ship made out of?”

She then jumped when the lights snapped back on, an electrical roar thrumned throughout the entire ship and quieted down to just a soft, barely noticeable sound. Wide jade green eyes blinked, wide with surprise. Tali’s voice echoed in whooping excitement and glee. Even Garrus cheered over the open coms. In the engine room, the qurian stared in awe at the running engine. To see it actually working, a masterpiece of machinery and design… nothing else she has seen in her entire life could compare. Not even the Normandy’s engine core, but she wouldn’t say that to Joker. When Shepard returned to the cryo bay, she found EDI and James trying to lift the AI up.

“Perfect timing, Commander,” the Lieutenant grunted in effort, getting the AI up onto his shoulders now.

“He shutdown as the power came back on.” EDI explained, dropping the last cable she had disconnected from Ra’ziel’s chest. "I want to bring him aboard the Normandy, Commander, we should also start the awakening process on the remaining crew."

"Well, let's go then. This guy is fucking heavy." James strained, repositioning the AI he was starting to lose a grip on.

Shepard nodded her head, "Alright, plus since the power is back on we can actually get the docking bay doors open and allow Cortez to fly the shuttle in."

James didn't waste no time once Shepard gave the green light, already making his way out the door. "EDI, are you able to send me how to operate the systems in here?"

"Of course, Commander." Already having her omnitool pulled up and finished relaying the information to Shepard.

"Thanks, go ahead and head back to our ship as well. If we were able to pull off getting their ship back on - well, barely -, don't doubt you'll be able to get their AI back onto his feet." Shepard grinned behind her helm, motioning for EDI to go on ahead. The AI gave a nod of her head and followed after James. 

Shepard turned her attention then on the control panel the AI had been found leaning against. She walked over to it, brought up her omnitool and pulled up the information EDI had forwarded to her. Carefully, she looked over the translated instructions on how to get the process started. With her free hand, she touched at the holo-keys having to repeat the process one at a time for each pod. Once she was finished, a countdown came up over the holo-screen. Looking back between her omnitool and the holo, the runic symbols read as a three hour thaw out. She was curious why such a long thaw was needed, comparatively to how quickly Javik’s awakening was weeks ago. Instead of just standing there staring at the holo-screen, she turned around after closing down her omnitool. Jade green eyes looked over each of the pods and she sighed softly, ‘Hope you guys are a lot friendlier than Javik is.’

\-----

After an hour and a half had gone by, Shepard ended up having to remove her armor and helm. Of course, she had done so once she was sure life support was running one-hundred percent. It was hot inside the ship, but she couldn’t find any form of setting to set the temperature controls. Shepard was starting to wonder if there was any… or it was ninety-five degrees fahrenheit on purpose. Did this unknown alien species need it to be this warm? It felt like she was on Tuchunka. Wiping the sweat from her brow, Shepard turned around and sat at the base of the console. Giving up with a sigh. 

“Guess I’ll just deal with it for now.”

Not even twenty minutes later, she stripped out of her undersuit for her armor as well. Tossing it aside with a huff of annoyance. ‘Hurry up and wake already!’ she pulled back her hair, tying it up into a messy bun to get it off her neck. Doing all she could to stay cool, even if she had to be only in her bra and panties. Hell, she was about to take those off too and say fuck it. Shepard looked at her omnitool, the timer she had set to keep a better watch instead of getting a headache looking between her own language and the alien one. 

“Great… one more hour of this humid heat,” Shepard grumbled, wiping away sweat once more. “I’m going to die from dehydration before they even wake up…. I can see it now…” she started to lay on the dramatics, not like anyone would see or hear her prattle on. "Here lies-"

//Shepard.// a smooth, cybernetic male voice spoke overhead.

Shepard let out startled yelp, shooting up onto her feet. She stumbled and twisted around, flailing ungracefully before she fell flat right on her ass. Wide eyes looked around, searching for whoever or whatever spoke.

"Wha-?!"

//I didn't mean to startle you.//

Shepard cleared her throat, wrapping her arms around herself starting to feel vulnerable half naked. "Okay, you peeping tom bastard," she breathed out between clenched teeth, pushing herself back up onto her feet. "Where ya at?"

//What is… a peeping tom?// the cybernetic voice curiously questioned.

'Completely ignored the main question…' relaxing her arms, she rubbed the back of her neck, sighing. "A peeping tom is a pervert that watches people getting-- whatever! Anyways, who are you?"

//Does your species have such a short memory? We have met before, Shepard. I am Ra'ziel.// the AI stated, a hologram coming into view in front of the control console she was leaning against earlier. 

Shepard gawked at the image of a tall - taller than James and Garrus - male who didn't appear like his cybernetics and metallic body from earlier. She stepped closer to get a better look, jade eyes roaming over from the horns atop his head to his broad chest and shoulders. A powerful tail swayed slow, almost still, behind him. She could see there was a scattering of scales along his cheeks, leading up into thick, jet black hair. When her gaze traveled downwards, deadly razor sharp talons on both hands. Plus on raptor-like legs fashioning a curved, blade-like kill claw on each taloned foot. 

"Whoa…" a whisper of awe and surprise from her lips. 'So this is what they look like..'

Giving a shake of her head and registering who was standing there, confusion painted across her face and her brow furrowed. "Wait, the same Ra'ziel from earlier? But how?"

//Yes and it was the moment our ship regained power. I transferred back into our systems before my mobile platform lost power itself. I am also the pilot, if you did not already hear your EDI. I also made sure all life support systems were back up and running one-hundred percent.// the hologram of Ra'ziel walked passed her to stand beside the main pod, placing his hand against it. //Thank you. If your ship hadn't arrived as it did… my Commander and her squad would have died… our mission would have failed.//

"Your mission?" Shepard questioned.

Ra'ziel gave a nod of his horned head, turning his head to look back to Shepard again. //To awaken into the next cycle and carry on our knowledge of the Mak'rathi.//

"Ma-what now?" 

Ra'ziel gave a tilt of his head in thought. //Your word for them… Reapers.//

Shepard felt her blood go cold. "So… your people did come face to face with them… and were wiped out like the Protheans."

//Not entirely. I had seen, through your AI's memory core, there still remains one Prothean among you. In a sense, they had failed to completely bring them to non existence. Like my own Commander and her team.// The hologram of the AI straightened up then, his red gaze on the now visible sleeping face of his Commander. //Thaw sequence has been completed. Moving into the final stage.//

Shepard took a step closer, peeking to see the pod Ra'ziel stood in front of. Jade green eyes widened in surprise how young the female inside appeared. 'She's so young… he said she was the Commander? She can't be any older than twenty!'

The female inside the pod, black hair wisping gently like a veil inside the blue-green liquid, stirred. Eyelids fluttering for a few moments before opening just barely. Deep crimson red irises on black sclera hazily peered out, trying to focus on two haze figures.

'Who… Ra'ziel? Did… did we make it..?'


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

All hell had broken loose once two of the four occupants fully woke up. Shepard was fighting to stay calm as she held up the horned head of the ashen skinned and obsidian scaled female… who was currently coughing up a horrendous amount of deep azure colored blood. The smaller female at the moment was being held back by a red hued larger male, shrieking viciously like a banshee as she, what Shepard could only assume, obscenities in their tongue. Only a few minutes ago everything was fine. The one Shepard pieced together to be the Commander had awakened in a hazy state, removed the mask she wore and spoke with a quiet, rough voice in response to Ra'ziel's greeting. Next thing Shepard knew, the alien Commander lurched forward and vomited up blood before collapsing.

/You pink, squishy bitch! I'll eviscerate you for harming our Commander! What the fuck did you do, pinky?!/ the pale blue female kept on screeching.

/Cyrcia, calm down! I don't think that female has done anything./ the red male tried to calm her, getting torn up by her talons from her flailing and clawing. /Ra'ziel! Protocol Z2-049, now!/

The smaller female yelped when the larger male threw her. Her petite frame slamming against the metal wall a few feet from the pods. /Activating Protocol Z2-049. Stand aside, Lieutenant Ra'meirez./

All Ra'meirez did was pivot on the balls of his feet and dropped down into a crouch. Pushing Shepard's head down as he told her to do so. Not that she could understand a word they were saying anyhow. The sound of a shot and clang has metal clashed against metal reverberated in the entire cryo bay, followed by a shriek. When the red male let up on her head, Shepard lifted it and turned it to gawk at the smaller female. She was clawing at a thick metal ring at her neck, spitting and hissing angrily as her tail whipped and thumped about - taloned feet dangling a foot off the floor. A charging ring noise soon came from the metal ring and a wave of electricity discharged. The female let out another shrieking cry before she went still, her grasp still on the ring, but not unconscious after it stopped.

/You calm now?/ the red one, Ra'meirez, snapped out in annoyance.

/... Yeah… I'm calm./

"Hey, big guy?! She stopped breathing!" Shepard voiced out, laying the female that was in her lap gently done and quickly scooted over to her side to start CPR.

/Lieutenant, the Commander-/ Ra'ziel reminded.

/I'll let you down after the Commander has been seen to,/ he whipped back around and stalked over to the second male that started to stir groggily. He sank his talons of one hand into the other's shoulder and yanked him out, tearing a pained yelp out of him. /Get your pathetic leather hide moving, don't have time for you to drag ass waking up!/

'Is there no urgency for their dying Commander here?!’ Shepard wiped blue blood from her mouth, freezing where she was kneeled then glanced at her hands. ‘Fuck and here I am having no clue if I’ll have a reaction to their blood. It’s blue like the Turians…’

The smaller female cackled as the final crewmate stumbled, catching himself before he actually crashed to the floor. He hissed, gripping his bleeding shoulder, whipping around with one violet eye narrowed - pupil slitted paper thin. /You bastard, you didn’t need to gouge my shoulder! What’s the hurry anyways?!/

Ra’meirez’s golden eyes stayed locked with the other male’s, jabbing a bloodied talon towards their Commander and Shepard. /You’re the medic, Zhy!/

Zhyriel looked over, eye squinted in confusion then went wide in shock at the state their Commander was in. He lept into action, shouldering Shepard out of the way as he paid her no mind at this very moment. His priority was their Commander. The light violet colored male scooped up the unconscious female into his arms and right out the cryo bay door he disappeared. Ra’meirez watched the last bit of their medic’s tail go around the corner before turning his golden gaze onto a completely stunned Shepard. /Who are you?/

~~*~~

After everything had calmed down finally and Shepard was able to clean the blood off herself with some form of fabric handed to her. She glanced over to her left, quietly watching as the large red male scolded the smaller female, who pouted with her head turned to the side and arms crossed over her petite chest. Her brain was still trying to process all that had happened in the last half hour.

//Are you alright, Shepard?// Ra’ziel’s voice chimed overhead, both of the aliens turned their heads to look at her now.

Shepard draped the soiled fabric over her shoulder, sighing as she rubbed at the back of her neck. “Yeah… I’m good… some rush there though. Is your Commander okay?”

//Commander Ty’lani has been stabilized. Vitals have returned to normal.//

“That’s go--”

/Ra’ziel, what are you saying to her? What is she saying?/ Ra’meirez cut in, facing Shepard now.

/When Shepard and her crew found our ship, our drive core and back up power cells had died. I kept the cryo pods powered with my mobile platform and before it too had also lost power, I learned their language from their AI as I synchronized with her./ the AI simply replied. /Per my First Contact protocols./

The smaller female snorted, rolling her ic white/blue eyes. On the other hand, Shepard’s head was starting to spin from how fluidly and quickly the AI switched between languages. She stood up, facing the two now, rubbing her temples briefly before looking up to them. Clapping her hands together. “Okay! I have no idea what was said, but for now let’s just skip to introductions, yeah?” 

She smiled, holding out her hand. “I am Commander Reiko Shepard of the SSV Normandy SR2, first human Spectre.”

Ra’zeil started to translate, but paused at the word human. //There is no word in our language for human.//

‘Of course there isn’t…’ she silently cursed herself, ‘They’re thousands of years older than the Protheans. Even they knew our primal ancestors…’

/Pinky is a good name to call h--Ow!/

/Watch your tongue, welpling./ the red one admonished after cuffing the smaller female on the back of her head. He cleared his throat, squaring his shoulders as he fixed his stance to stand at attention and full height. /Lieutenant Ahk’tashe Ra’meirez, this is our tech specialist and pyro, Cyrcia Vynhael./

//The red male is Lieutenant Ahk’tashe Ra’meirez, the smaller one is Techspecialist and pyro, Cyrcia Vynhael.// Ra’ziel translated for Shepard, enough for her to understand at least.

Ra’meirez, instead of taking a hold of her hand, clasped Shepard by her forearm and placed his left hand to his chest as he gave a curt bow of his head. That’s when she noticed he didn’t have horns -- well, sort of. They appeared to have been broken or cut off, with silver cuffs at the base. Ra’meirez released his hold, golden eyes narrowing with a disapproving expression painted across his features. 

//I advise not to stare at his horns, Shepard.//

“Oh! Uh, sorry.” she shifted from foot to foot, glancing down. Jade green eyes snapping wide and she averted her gaze once again, blocking his bottom half from view with her hand as she turned her head away.“Whoa, he’s naked! They’re both naked!”

//O’rheni have no social discomforts with nudity as your species, Shepard.//

“O’rh-what?” she squeaked.

//That is the name of my creators’ People - O’rheni.// Ra’ziel clarified, then he spoke directly to Ra’meirez and Cyrcia. < _>_

_“Where’s the fun in that, rust bucket?! Like I wanna talk to pinky here!” Cyrcia snapped at the AI, throwing her hands up._

_“Pinky?” Shepard stared at Cyrcia with a furrowed brow. “Who are you calling pinky, shorty?”_

_Cyrcia hunched down with wide ice white/blue eyes, staring from the corner of her eye with lips pursed. Shepard covered her mouth to try and suppress a snicker, the smaller female’s look almost read ‘Oh, fuck! I got caught!’ Ra’meirez didn’t seem amused at all by Cyrcia’s outburst, looking ready to swat the back of her head again. He simply grumbled inaudibly before walking by Shepard. Ra'meirez pressed his hand against the wall, a thin white light rimmed out a square that appeared before opening a small compartment. Pulling out a neatly folded piece of fabric, he carefully started to step into them. Curling each kill claw to tuck it neatly against each foot before unfurling once the piece of clothing passed over his thighs. It snuggly hugged his frame, giving little to the imagination, but still - in Shepard's opinion - appeared a little more modest… somewhat._

_"I ain't wearing no clothes… pinky here is practically naked herself!" Cyrcia huffed, her taloned hands on her hips._

_At Cyrcia's words, Shepard became of her scant lingerie and crossed her arms over her chest, clearing her throat._

_"Our way of life doesn't seem to be the same. It is the polite thing to do, Cyr."_

_"Don't call me that!" She stamped a foot down fuming, hrumphed and stormed out without putting on a single piece of clothing._

_Shepard blinked then looked to the larger red male, who was currently eyeing her up._

_"It was hot in here. I was practically boiling in my armor." She quickly defended._

_"It's supposed to be… is your people sensitive to heat?" Ra'meirez questioned. "Why are you wet?"_

_"Wh-" she looked down at her arms, seeing the sheen of sweat over her skin. "It's sweat."_

_//They do not sweat, Shepard. The optimum temperatures for the O'rheni is ninety-five degrees. O'rheni are reptilianoids, lacking the glands to produce such a substance your species have in their anatomy .//_

_"Ah. Well then…" she clapped her hands again, "Welp! I'm ready to head back to my ship for some nice cooler temps. I'm sure Razzy here can contact us if you need anything."_

_"Razzy?" Ra'meirez quirked a brow._

_Shepard gave a little nervous smile, pointing upwards. "The AI?"_

_"Hm." He simply responded, turning away to tap a few holo-keys to shutdown the pods._

_"I'll have a small team come by and remove the cables too." And with that, Shepard gathered up her armor and suit, not bothering to put it back on._

_As she stepped out of the cryo bay, she heard soft voices down the corridor. She turned her head, curious of the open door just a few feet away. Quietly, her steps light, she went over and took a peek inside._

_/It seems you inhaled some of the cryo liquid into your lungs at some point going into the process. Some lacerations in your lungs, but no severe damage. With some rest for a few days, you should be fine, Commander./ the pastel violet male spoke in gentle tones, a reassuring smile on his lips. /You sure have given a scare to the little creature that found us,/ he chuckled, patting his Commander's shoulder before turning to check the IV and the ventilator's oxygen levels. /Her kind probably dies at the amount of blood loss. Good thing your regeneration capabilities weren't affected too badly by the cryostasis like mine were./_

_The exhausted ashen and obsidian female simply made a rough, broken noise. Fogged over crimson eyes half-lidded blinked sluggishly. Half hearing her crew's medic talk and barely catching his hand gesturing towards his gashed up shoulder._

_/Ssh, just rest, Commander./ his voice dropped to a whisper, leaning down to rest his forehead to hers as she drifted off._

_Shepard straightened up, taking a step back from the door. Again, she couldn't understand what was said, at the same time she thought it was best. To her it seemed like she was witnessing an intimate moment. Lovers? Giving a shake of her head, she turned to continue on her way to the docking bay._

_The pastel male had stepped out of the medical roof as he finished cleaning up his hands. Spring green eyes watching the little human's figure disappear around the corner. A small smile curled up the corners of his mouth, a bit lopsided. 'They're so small. Adorable.' He half chuckled._

_~~*~~_

_When Cortez arrived with the shuttle and Shepard stepped inside, he curiously looked at her current barely dressed attire._

_"Commander?" The shuttle pilot quirked a brow with a friendly, teasing smile._

_"Don't ask." She sighed, plopping her armor down haphazardly onto one of the benches in the back before sitting in the co-pilot seat._

_"Thought this was-"_

_"Nothing happened! Well… Had a brief meeting with their Commander. I said don't ask!" She bapped him on the shoulder and all that did was make him chuckle._


End file.
